Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives
Strawberry - Cultivars
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The cultivar choice depends on:
Some cultivars are widely adapted in the prairie area (eg.) Kent, is noted for its winter hardiness in some parts of the Prairies. Newer strawberry cultivars have improved disease resistance. In selecting a strawberry cultivar for a particular farm, growers should consult their local variety test results. Cultivars respond differently to minor climatic and soil conditions, so growers should test cultivars prior to wide scale adoption. Only those that do well should be selected for their farm situation. A blend of early, mid and late season cultivators can extend the harvest period and spread risk. |
Everbearers
This type is not recommended for commercial production because:
- Cost of production per hectare is high with more plants and hand labour required.
- Ability to produce runners is limited.
- Fruit quality is inferior.
A high yielding cultivar with large fruit but poor shelf like is Fort Laramie.
Day Neutrals
Based on yields, Fern and Seascape have a proven track record on the Prairies.
Fern
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Seascape
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June Bearers
Traditionally, Kent and Glooscap made up a majority of the planted acres. Today, these two types are planted with many other newer cultivars. Cultivars commonly grown in Manitoba include:
| Veestar Early,
vigorous, productive, large berry, medium red, firm, good
flavor, excellent for U-Pick and fresh market. |
Sable Early, winter hardy, productive, large berry, bright red, medium firm with good flavor.
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| Evangeline Early, fruit produced on stiff, upright stalks with good yield, berries are conic, firm and have good size. |
Annapolis Early, vigorous, very good yield, very large berry, bright red, firm, good flavor. |
| Honeoye Early-mid, vigorous, high yield, very large berry, bright red, firm, excellent flavor. |
Cavendish Early mid-season, high yield, large berry, bright red, excellent flavor. |
| Brunswick Early mid-season, berries are large attractive and uniform in color and shape. |
Glooscap Mid-season, vigorous, good flavor, large dark red fruit, freezes well. |
| Kent Mid-season, vigorous, high yield, very large berry, dark red throughout, firm, good flavor, very good quality. |
Sappire Mid-season-Late, new variety from Ontario, high yield, large berry, very good quality, bright color, moderate resistance to leaf scorch and powdery mildew. |
| Mira Mid-season, high yield, very large berry, bright red, medium firm, fair to good flavor, may be tart, useful for shipping. |
Sparkle Late, vigorous, very good yield, medium size berry, crimson red, medium soft, excellent flavor, high quality, freezes well. |
| Bounty Late, vigorous, very good yield, medium size berry, dark red, medium firm, excellent flavor, good quality, freezes well. |
Serenity Late, new variety from Ontario, high yield, large to very large berries, bright color, moderate resistance to leaf scorch and powdery mildew. |
| Gov. Simcoe Late, high yield, firm berry, bright color. |
Cabot Late, very large berry, juicy, suitable for U-Pick and direct sales. |
| Jewel Late, vigorous, large berry, firm, excellent flavor, excellent quality. |
New Cultivars
New cultivars showing better disease resistance, fruit characteristics, specific environmental tolerances and yield increases are being released periodically. Both day neutral and June bearing crosses are presently under test. Growers are cautioned to try only a small planting before adopting new cultivars for general production at their site.
For further information, contact your GO representative.
